Careers · Explore one path
Travel Agents
Plan and sell transportation and accommodations for customers. Determine destination, modes of transportation, travel dates, costs, and accommodations required. May also describe, plan, and arrange itineraries and sell tour packages. May assist in resolving clients' travel problems.
Other titles employers use
Auto Travel Counselor · Beach Expert · Corporate Travel Consultant · Destination Specialist · International Travel Consultant · Tour Coordinator · Tour Counselor · Travel Agent
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Collect payment for transportation and accommodations from customer.
- Plan, describe, arrange, and sell itinerary tour packages and promotional travel incentives offered by various travel carriers.
- Converse with customer to determine destination, mode of transportation, travel dates, financial considerations, and accommodations required.
- Compute cost of travel and accommodations, using calculator, computer, carrier tariff books, and hotel rate books, or quote package tour's costs.
- Record and maintain information on clients, vendors, and travel packages.
- Book transportation and hotel reservations, using computer or telephone.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Active Listening
- Service Orientation
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Persuasion
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Sales and Marketing
- Geography
- Computers and Electronics
Useful strengths
- Speech Recognition
- Oral Comprehension
- Speech Clarity
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.2 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 1.7 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.0 | A regular part of the day |
| Working with your hands | 3.7 | Some of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a high school diploma. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A two-year degree 37%
- High school or less 31%
- A certificate or some college 18%
- A four-year degree 14%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Accounting software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Video conferencing software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 13,540
- Job openings each year
- 1,750
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 16.1%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | 13,540 | 1,750 | 16.1% |
| California | 8,100 | 1,060 | 19.1% |
| Texas | 4,140 | 530 | 12.2% |
| New York | 3,750 | 30 | 10.0% |
| Georgia | 2,620 | 340 | 12.9% |
| Missouri | 2,200 | 270 | 1.4% |
| Colorado | 2,090 | 270 | 13.0% |
| Illinois | 2,040 | 250 | 1.5% |
| Arizona | 1,500 | 190 | 14.5% |
| Pennsylvania | 1,440 | 180 | 2.9% |
| Washington | 1,360 | 200 | 17.2% |
| North Carolina | 1,350 | 170 | 10.7% |
| Michigan | 1,320 | 160 | −1.5% |
| Wisconsin | 1,270 | 170 | 38.0% |
| Ohio | 1,250 | 150 | −3.8% |
| New Jersey | 1,240 | 160 | 2.5% |
| Virginia | 1,170 | 150 | 17.0% |
| Minnesota | 1,060 | 130 | 2.9% |
| Nevada | 1,010 | 130 | 9.8% |
| Massachusetts | 880 | 110 | 4.8% |
| Indiana | 870 | 110 | 2.4% |
| South Carolina | 780 | 100 | 13.0% |
| Maryland | 770 | 100 | 5.5% |
| Oregon | 760 | 100 | 5.6% |
| Puerto Rico | 760 | 100 | 13.4% |
| Tennessee | 700 | 90 | 18.6% |
| Utah | 690 | 80 | −5.5% |
| Connecticut | 660 | 80 | −2.9% |
| Alabama | 490 | 60 | — |
| Nebraska | 470 | 60 | 4.4% |
| Iowa | 460 | 60 | 7.0% |
| District of Columbia | 410 | 50 | 20.6% |
| Oklahoma | 380 | 50 | 5.6% |
| New Hampshire | 350 | 40 | 2.9% |
| Idaho | 330 | 40 | 10.0% |
| Rhode Island | 330 | 40 | 6.5% |
| Kansas | 290 | 40 | 3.6% |
| North Dakota | 270 | 30 | — |
| Louisiana | 210 | 30 | — |
| West Virginia | 210 | 30 | −16.0% |
| Kentucky | 200 | 30 | 5.3% |
| Arkansas | 190 | 20 | −5.0% |
| New Mexico | 170 | 20 | 13.3% |
| Montana | 160 | 20 | 6.7% |
| South Dakota | 160 | 20 | −5.9% |
| Delaware | 140 | 20 | — |
| Alaska | 100 | 10 | 11.1% |
| Maine | 90 | 10 | −10.0% |
| Mississippi | 80 | 10 | 14.3% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
CUNY Bernard M Baruch College
- Degrees each year
- 580
- Admit rate
- 50%
- Annual cost after aid
- $6,000
Fashion Institute of Technology
- Degrees each year
- 481
- Admit rate
- 58%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Texas A & M University-College Station
- Degrees each year
- 311
- Admit rate
- 63%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Degrees each year
- 232
- Admit rate
- 43%
- Annual cost after aid
- $8,000
Kent State University at Kent
- Degrees each year
- 232
- Admit rate
- 87%
- Annual cost after aid
- $17,000
West Chester University of Pennsylvania
- Degrees each year
- 229
- Admit rate
- 79%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Saint Joseph's University
- Degrees each year
- 151
- Admit rate
- 86%
- Annual cost after aid
- $24,000
University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 147
- Admit rate
- 61%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Compare every college offering general sales, merchandising and related marketing operations